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PROFILE 🩸
BASICS
nameDorin Haneul Lee
alias
None.
Many of his peers at school called him Dorin Leech, obviously, but he doesn't encourage that.
division
Medical
occupation
Registered Nurse (RN)
age & dob
Twenty-four & May 10th
(Taurus)
pronouns
He/Him
family
Emma Lee (Estranged Mother)
Jiwoo Lee (Estranged Father)
CONCEPT
Bashful blood-sucker here to help out and hide from the real world.POWERS
blood-sucking tentacles.Dorin has six black tentacles, each approximately ten feet long with suckers and fang-lined, leech-like mouths. While the primary purpose of these tentacles is to consume blood, they are also immensely strong and wildly flexible because of their composition (which is mostly longitudinal and circular muscles supplemented by diagonal muscles along with a few internal organs), making them ideal tools for dealing damage, constricting targets, or aiding in movement. He has conscious control over these tentacles, but each does have its own rudimentary brain and sensory organs, allowing them to act reflexively to dangers and making it easier for Dorin to complete multiple different tasks with his numerous limbs at the same time.
These tentacles can be retracted into his body and are concealed within his abdomen, though the orifices through which they emerge always remain subtly visible. The darkened and slightly swollen flesh that obscures these openings could easily be mistaken as a bruise, though anyone with an ounce of medical knowledge would recognize that's not the case. These markings are located on the sides of his abdomen.
When one of these tentacles latches onto something, they are quite difficult to break free from. The bite also has both anesthetic properties (which prevent the target from initially feeling the bite and can cause localized numbness) and anticoagulant properties (which prevent the target's blood from clotting); these effects both impact the target long after release. It can be quite a mess.
hematophagous physiology.
Dorin's tentacles aren't just for show either. His entire anatomy is adapted to sustain itself off of blood and he's far less human on the inside than he appears on the surface. All of the nutrients he requires can be found in blood and he digests quite slowly because of the different enzymes his body uses during this process. This means that it can take him weeks to fully digest anything he consumes. Add in the fact that he has several smaller organs designed to store blood that he takes in but isn't prepared to digest, like many leeches do, and he can easily go several months between meals if he plans ahead. Though, he rarely does.
Beyond these differences, his senses of smell, taste, and touch are also remarkably sensitive, making him adept at discerning information from a distance and tracking specific targets. Additionally, his tentacles have simplistic sensory organs that can detect light and vague shapes even when his eyes are covered.
PERSONALITY
An outsider among outsiders, at least in his own mind, Dorin wants nothing more than to find his place, live an unexceptional life, and do some good in the world.He's shy and intensely self-conscious, but still warm and fundamentally hopeful. He craves acceptance and validation, leading him to chase opportunities to befriend or help others and often guiding him into the orbit of people with stronger personalities than his own. There's something comforting about being swept away in the confidence and conviction of someone else. While people can always lean on him, he isn't open about his own needs and tends to fail miserably when he tries to express himself. He's able to escape self-doubt when he's hard at work and seems to thrive when he's helping patients as a nurse, immersed in a creative project, or otherwise taking part in something important to him. Who'd have thought?
🩸Introverted & Shy. Private. Sensitive on the inside, impassive on the outside. This is Fine. :)
🩸Kind. Helpful. Problem-solver. People-pleaser. Follower. Conflict avoidant. Malleable.
🩸Hardworking. Calm under pressure. Adaptable. Intuitive. Peace of mind in productivity.
🩸Hopeful. Idealistic. Prone to romanticizing the ordinary. Wants what's out of reach.
🩸Sentimental. Pack-rat. Trinket-collector. Photo-taker. It's the little things.
likes. People. Feeling included. Feeling helpful. Sewing. Fashion. Jewelry. Crafts. Collecting things. Taking photos. Cute filters. Familiarity. Routine. Staying busy. Swimming. Classical music, but also indie pop/indie folk music.
dislikes. Being the center of attention. Standing out. Using his tentacles in public. Conflict. Relentless negativity. Letting people down. Getting rid of things. Losing things. The cold. Blood.
APPEARANCE
Dorin is an unassuming fellow at first glance. He's shorter than average (5'7"), athletic but not particularly muscular, and has short black hair. He's casually fashionable but not at all flashy; he knows what cuts flatter him and how to accessorize with simple jewelry but rarely takes it beyond that. He doesn't want to draw attention, after all. He just wants the attention he does receive to be positive. He always has manicured nails and styled hair.Obviously, he's less unassuming once the tentacles come out.
HISTORY
Dorin barely remembers a time before becoming a ward of the state and a student at a Liminal school in rural New York. He was less than four when the rifts appeared and had just turned six when he was changed by them. What followed was apparent illness (he was pale and feverish and couldn't keep anything down), an instinctive attack on his father to consume his blood, a panicked call to the authorities, and his terrified parents giving up custody to IRIS shortly thereafter. He then went through an extended period of hospitalization and evaluation before being deemed safe enough to be around his peers and sent off to school. It was a difficult time but, looking back, he can't blame anyone for how it all went. And, at least, the hospital staff was quite kind to him.At that time, Dorin was one of the youngest residents of the school -- the Shawangunk Ridge Educational Facility -- and had a difficult time finding a place. The older children mocked and avoided him in equal measure because of his grotesque powers and he grew up into a shy, self-reliant kid that always sought approval and never felt at ease in his own skin. He kept to himself. Gradually, though, life became easier. His peers matured, more people his own age came to school, he learned to never use his tentacles in front of others, and with everything happening out in the world he was simply no longer the strangest kid on the block. He also got a roommate (Noah Moon) when he was eleven and the two gradually formed a bond that made him feel connected to the world again. He got dragged along for games and into friend groups. He was taken home during summer vacation and holiday breaks. He felt encouraged and built up for the first time in a long time. They became brothers as much as friends, really.
By the time graduation rolled around, Dorin felt like he could stand on his own and was making plans for the future. He got into the University of Rochester and moved to pursue a degree in nursing. It seemed like a good way to pay it forward. He also got a part-time job working at a dry cleaner, where he washed clothes and did alterations for customers. He made new friends. He (very slowly and very hesitantly) entered into his first ever relationship. It all felt good. However, as much as the idea of a fresh start and maybe even a 'normal' life appealed to Dorin, being out in the real world again was overwhelming to him and he felt out of place. It was a struggle not to disappear back into his shell, especially when people learned he was a Liminal and wanted to 'see what he could do'. But he kept moving forward, hoping all of those feelings would sort themselves out. He graduated and spent over a year working at Strong Memorial Hospital.
Everything became too much for him, though, after he inadvertently made a public spectacle of himself. While leaving work, he witnessed a cyclist about to get plowed into by a motorist and his tentacles snapped out to snatch the pedestrian out of harm's way and pull them to safely. Nobody was hurt and that was good. But everyone was looking at him and that was awful. People even had their cameras out. He apologized frantically to no one in particular and rushed home. There was an inevitable fifteen minutes of fame during which video of the incident was played on the local news and shared online, leading to public discourse that was equal parts supportive and judgemental. But all of it made Dorin miserable, even with many reassurances that he'd done the right thing. It felt like he'd been exposed and there was no coming back from it. The incident even prompted the arrival of a letter from his long-estranged mother, who wanted to see how he was doing, which caused a whole different sort of distress.
After a few months of trying to feel at ease again, Dorin gave up. He quit his job and broke up with his partner and put in an application to several positions with IRIS, including at the Enodia Research Station. It was a relief when he was accepted and could pack up his belongings to move to the Station; it felt like going home.
NOTES
🩸 Given his unique tailoring needs, Dorin learned to alter clothes and (eventually) to create clothes when he was in high school. Fashion and design have since become a creative outlet for him. He never makes anything particularly bold for himself, though he'll happily do so for others or even just create the occasional daring piece for the challenge or the pleasure of it.🩸 Yes, he does get blood from work. The Director signed off on it. Don't make it weird.
🩸 Dorin lives with Noah Moon in apartment 206. They were roommates during their time at Shawangunk Ridge Educational Facility and became close friends during that time, so this is comfortable and nostalgic for him
(frozen comment) MEMES
Housing